Hawkesworth Family fonds. — [1915-2012]. — 4 cm of textual records. — 63 photographs.
Biographical Sketch
In 1774, a large group of settlers from Yorkshire, England decided to make a new start in Nova Scotia, Canada. Adam Hawkesworth and his wife Elizabeth Wedgewood were one of the thirteen families that made this journey. These pioneers were Aubrey Hawkesworth’s great grandparents and by the time he was born on the 3 of October 1889 the family had been in Canada for 115 years. Aubrey Edwin Hawkesworth was born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to parents William Young Hawkesworth and Maria Lohnes. This was William’s second marriage, his first wife Mary Jane Elliot passed away in 1876. Aubrey was the third youngest of 14 children. Once grown Aubrey started working in various lumber operations in Nova Scotia and Maine, and in 1912 a harvest excursion brought him west. After spending some time working in a lumber camp, Aubrey with his friends Dick and Steve Sharkey and Harley Conrad made a trip to the Peace Country. They travelled over the Edson trail in a quick seven days, sleeping outdoors. Aubrey must have liked what he saw as he was back in 1913 and filed on SE 16 T73 R11 W6. This location was soon abandoned due to flooding. The new homestead was SW 28 T73 R11 W6. Aubrey’s brother Murray filed on NE 16 T73 R11 W6 which he too abandoned for SE 26 T73 R11 W6. In 1916 the brothers went to enlist, Aubrey was refused due to an older hip injury which hindered his walking. When Murray Hawkesworth and surrounding neighbours left to fight Aubrey was in charge of looking after their farms. At the end of the war Murray did not come back to Alberta, settling in Nova Scotia instead.
Aubrey worked at many different jobs to support his family, at a livery stable, freighting for I.E. Gaudin, on the Pouce Coupe highway, trapping, and in lumber camps.
On January 1, 1919 Aubrey married Dessie Armstrong at the Armstrong home. They had four children. Violet (b.1920), Charlotte (b.1921), Aubrey (b.1924) and Marie (b.1930). Their only son Aubrey was born dead and little Marie suffered a burst appendix when she was four. After operating on her at the Hythe Hotel Dr. McRae was unable to save her. She is buried in the Hythe Cemetery and little Aubrey is said to be buried at Lake Saskatoon or Valhalla Cemetery.
Aubrey was an active member in the Hythe community, he sat on the board of the West Hythe School as well as the committee for the Circlebank Hall. In 1948 Aubrey was part of the newly formed county council and worked in that capacity until his retirement in 1960. In 1962 the Hawkesworth’s sold their farm and moved into Hythe. Aubrey became involved in the Hythe Pioneer Club which helped organize the building of the Hythe Pioneer Home. Aubrey was selected to turn the sod at the start of the Pioneer Home’s construction in 1969. Aubrey passed away May 24, 1970 and Dessie on October 23, 1976 and they are both buried in the Hythe Cemetery.
Their daughter Violet Hawkesworth married Art Greber and they settled and farmed in Lymburn.
Their other daughter Charlotte married Lester Olson and later Allen Tolton. Allen and Charlotte lived for a time in California but later came back to the area and settled in Hythe. Their last move was to Calgary to be closer to their daughter.
Custodial History
The records were brought into the archives by Clayton Greber on behalf of Allyson Ropchan. Allyson’s mother Charlotte (Hawkesworth) Tolton collected as well as kept the records passed down from her parents Aubrey & Dessie Hawkesworth.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of records relating to the Hawkesworth family. The records are organized into three series, personal papers, photographs and pocketbooks.
Notes
Table of Contents
| Series 633.01 | Personal Papers |
| Series 633.02 | Photographs |
| Series 633.03 | Pocketbooks |
| Series 633.01 | Personal Papers. — [1921-2012]. — 1 cm of textual records. The series consist of personal papers of the Hawkesworth family. The papers include a certificate of birth for Charlotte Lucille Hawkesworth (1921), a booklet from the Child Welfare Clinic for Violet Hawkesworth who after being examined by Dr. Carlyle is said to have a heart defect and should not over-exert herself (1923); news clippings from the marriage of Charlotte Olson to Allen Tolton (ca.1954), Aubrey Hawkesworth being nominated to County Councilor (1948), an interview of Aubrey Hawkesworth about Baldy Red (1960), Aubrey a member of the Hythe Pioneer Club, Dessie & Aubrey’s 50th anniversary (1969), and various clippings about the Hawkesworth, Greber and Tolton families; Dessie Hawkesworth’s obituary & death certificate (1976); the Hawkesworth genealogy researched by James H. Moore and Charlotte (Hawkesworth) Tolton’s obituary (2012). |
| Series 633.02 | Photographs. — [1925-1994]. — 63 photographs. The series contains photographs of the Hawkesworth family and friends. |
| Series 633.03 | Pocketbooks. — [1915-1958]. — 3 cm of textual records. The series consist of pocketbooks belonging to Aubrey Hawkesworth. There are five leather bound pocketbooks, four of them written by Robert Service, titled; Ballads of A Cheechako (1915); Songs of the Sourdough (1916); Rhymes of a Rolling Stone (1916); Rhymes of a Red Cross Man (1918) and one book by Robert J.C. Stead, titled Songs of the Prairie (1912). There is also a news clipping about the death of Robert Service taken from Life Magazine October 6, 1958. The books were said to have been kept with Aubrey on his long treks, including his journey on the Edson Trail. |